How long should you spend at the California Academy of Sciences?
I would recommend at least 4 hours. The main exhibits take a couple of hours if it is not too crowded. There are many interactive attractions that are worth spending time.
All Academy guests will need to reserve timed-entry tickets in advance. There is no time limit for your visit, but the average guest spends approximately three hours exploring the Academy.
If you're in a hurry, a quick tour around the museum takes approximately two hours. However, I recommend giving yourself 3-4 hours to fully experience the attractions and all there is to see.
Yes, it's definitely worth a visit, in spite of all my comments above! On a quiet day, it's a treat; you can wander through the Aquarium and Rainforest in peace and really appreciate all the exhibits. More info on what to see at the California Academy of Sciences.
Founded in 1853, the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco is one of the largest and most popular science museums in the world. The complex of the institution contains an aquarium, a natural history museum, a rainforest, and a planetarium.
Food and beverages
You are welcome to bring your own food and drink, but we ask that you enjoy it outdoors in the East Garden. Water-bottle-filling stations are located on Level 1, next to the elevators.
Yes, official public parking is available at The Music Concourse Garage inside the Golden Gate Park. The underground garage is less than a minute's walk away from the main entrance.
Facility Dimensions: Total square footage in new Academy: 410,000 square feet. Total public space: 100,000 square feet.
Join us on the first floor of the planetarium for Extreme Life, a live, family-friendly, 15-minute program—now playing daily!
Is California Academy of Sciences ethical?
The Academy is guided by the American Association of Museums' Code of Ethics for Museums, which states, "Loyalty to the mission of the museum and to the public it serves is the essence of museum work, whether volunteer or paid.
We're an aquarium, planetarium, rainforest, and natural history museum in the heart of San Francisco's Golden Gate Park—and a powerful voice for biodiversity research and exploration, environmental education, and sustainability across the globe.
Parking garage
The Music Concourse Garage is a secure, accessible, underground parking facility located just steps away from the Academy's main entrance.
Although Golden Gate Park may be a very fascinating place to visit during the day, it is unsafe to go there at night.
One of the Academy's most famous residents is a 26-year-old alligator with albinism. Most San Franciscans have heard of Claude, an albino alligator who resides in the Academy of Sciences' indoor swamp.
From the canopy of our butterfly-filled, four-story rainforest to the bioluminescent depths of the little-known "twilight zone," explore the world's most vibrant, vital ecosystems from the heart of San Francisco.
Parking garage
The Music Concourse Garage is a secure, accessible, underground parking facility located just steps away from the Academy's main entrance.
There's parking garage under the de Young Museum, a bit expensive ($3.50 to $4.00 per hour), but not terrible for a few hours. There is one entrance on 10th Avenue at Fulton, on the north side of the park, and another just off MLK Drive near the Academy of Sciences.
